This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/11/obama-venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro-regional-summit

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Stark differences as Obama and Maduro head for Panama encounter Stark differences as Obama and Maduro head for Panama encounter
(about 9 hours later)
Barack Obama acknowledged the US could no longer “meddle with impunity” in the affairs of its Latin American neighbours on Friday as he and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, provided two starkly contrasting views of the US role in region. Barack Obama acknowledged the US could no longer “meddle with impunity” in the affairs of its Latin American neighbours, as he and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolás Maduro, provided two starkly contrasting views of the US role in region.
As the two antagonistic presidents prepared to meet face to face at the Summit of the Americas, they used preliminary events in the host nation Panama to project their differing perspectives. As the two antagonistic presidents prepared to meet face to face at the Summit of the Americas, they used preliminary events on Friday in the host nation, Panama, to project their differing perspectives.
Maduro laid a wreath for the civilian victims of the US invasion of Panama in 1989 and looked back at Washington’s long history of “imperialist interference” that he said continued to this day.Maduro laid a wreath for the civilian victims of the US invasion of Panama in 1989 and looked back at Washington’s long history of “imperialist interference” that he said continued to this day.
Obama, meanwhile, said his government had learned the lessons of the past and would respect national differences even as it worked to promote civil society worldwide. At a civil society forum he told participants from NGOs that he had made it a mission of his government to empower them with knowledge, technology and resources.Obama, meanwhile, said his government had learned the lessons of the past and would respect national differences even as it worked to promote civil society worldwide. At a civil society forum he told participants from NGOs that he had made it a mission of his government to empower them with knowledge, technology and resources.
Quoting Martin Luther King, Obama said the experience of the civil rights movement in his country had shown the importance of citizens’ actions in bending the arc of the moral universe towards justice.Quoting Martin Luther King, Obama said the experience of the civil rights movement in his country had shown the importance of citizens’ actions in bending the arc of the moral universe towards justice.
“The only reason I stand here today as president of the US is because those ordinary people – maids, and janitors, and schoolteachers – were willing to endure hardship on my behalf.”“The only reason I stand here today as president of the US is because those ordinary people – maids, and janitors, and schoolteachers – were willing to endure hardship on my behalf.”
He cited the case of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, the Polish Solidarity campaign against the Soviet Union and the efforts of the mothers of the disappeared to speak out against a “dirty war”, before raising the importance of engaging with the people as well as the government of Cuba as Washington and Havana move to improve ties. This, he said, was part of a broader policy. He cited the case of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, the Polish Solidarity campaign against the Soviet Union and the efforts of the mothers of the disappeared to speak out against a “dirty war”, before raising the importance of engaging with the people as well as the government of Cuba, as Washington and Havana move to improve ties. This, he said, was part of a broader policy.
“So let me just say, when the US sees space closing for civil society, we will work to open it. When efforts are made to wall you off from the world, we’ll try to connect you with each other. When you are silenced, we’ll try to speak out alongside you. And when you’re suppressed, we want to help strengthen you,” he said.“So let me just say, when the US sees space closing for civil society, we will work to open it. When efforts are made to wall you off from the world, we’ll try to connect you with each other. When you are silenced, we’ll try to speak out alongside you. And when you’re suppressed, we want to help strengthen you,” he said.
He denied that this represented interference. “The days in which our agenda in this hemisphere so often presumed that the US could meddle with impunity, those days are over,” he said to cheers.He denied that this represented interference. “The days in which our agenda in this hemisphere so often presumed that the US could meddle with impunity, those days are over,” he said to cheers.
Not everyone at the forum, however, sees things the same way. There have been scuffles and shouting matches between pro- and anti-government activists from Cuba and Venezuela, which says the US is now using NGOs as mercenaries to push its agenda.Not everyone at the forum, however, sees things the same way. There have been scuffles and shouting matches between pro- and anti-government activists from Cuba and Venezuela, which says the US is now using NGOs as mercenaries to push its agenda.
Maduro’s choice of the El Chorrillo neighbourhood as a first stop on his car ride from the airport to the summit venue was anything but subtle, but it highlighted the historical reasons for regional suspicion of its powerful northern neighbour.Maduro’s choice of the El Chorrillo neighbourhood as a first stop on his car ride from the airport to the summit venue was anything but subtle, but it highlighted the historical reasons for regional suspicion of its powerful northern neighbour.
This impoverished district of high-rise blocks was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting during the US invasion, which secured the Panama canal until the nation’s leader Manuel Noriega – who had fallen out of favour with Washington – was replaced.This impoverished district of high-rise blocks was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting during the US invasion, which secured the Panama canal until the nation’s leader Manuel Noriega – who had fallen out of favour with Washington – was replaced.
Many homes were destroyed and hundreds of civilians were killed in the brief but violent conflict, which the US code-named Operation Just Cause. Twenty-three US soldiers also died in the attack, which was condemned by Human Rights Watch as a disproportionate use of force. Many homes were destroyed and hundreds of civilians were killed in the brief but violent conflict, which the US codenamed Operation Just Cause. Twenty-three US soldiers also died in the attack, which was condemned by Human Rights Watch as a disproportionate use of force.
As Maduro walked to the monument, crowds of several hundred people waving the flags of Panama, Venezuela and the red banners of revolutionary movements, sang “Yankee Go Home”. After a minutes’ silence, speakers at the ceremony put the attacks in the historical context of US support for right-wing dictators in the 1970s and 1980s, recent spying revelations and interference dating back to the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, which justified intervention in the region. As Maduro walked to the monument, crowds of several hundred people waving the flags of Panama, Venezuela and the red banners of revolutionary movements, sang “Yankee Go Home”. After a minutes’ silence, speakers at the ceremony put the attacks in the historical context of US support for rightwing dictators in the 1970s and 1980s, recent spying revelations and interference dating back to the 1823 Monroe doctrine, which justified intervention in the region.
“Never again a US invasion in Latin America,” Maduro said to the cheering crowd, calling the 1989 invasion an “unforgivable attack on the people of Panama”. He said the US was continuing its policy of interference with the recent executive order of sanctions against Venezuela which declares the country a “threat to national security”. “Never again a US invasion in Latin America,” Maduro said to the cheering crowd, calling the 1989 invasion an “unforgivable attack on the people of Panama”. He said the US was continuing its policy of interference with the recent executive order of sanctions against Venezuela which declares the country a threat to national security.
US officials say the sanctions are largely symbolic as they only target seven officials accused of human rights abuses. The provocative wording, they say, is merely routine. To ease tensions, US spokesman have gone on record to declare that the US does not consider Venezuela a threat. US officials say the sanctions are largely symbolic as they only target seven officials accused of human rights abuses. The provocative wording, they say, is merely routine. To ease tensions, the US spokesman has gone on record to declare it does not consider Venezuela a threat.
Maduro and Obama have no scheduled bilateral meeting at the Summit, but they were both due to attend an inaugural dinner on Friday evening and join a photograph of participants on Saturday. Maduro and Obama have no scheduled bilateral meeting at the summit, but they were both due to attend an inaugural dinner on Friday evening and join a photograph of participants on Saturday. Having been isolated at previous regional summits, Obama is hoping that his recent deal with Cuba’s president, Raúl Castro, to normalise relations will help the US to be seen in a more friendly light by neighbouring countries.
Having been isolated at previous regional summits, Obama is hoping that his recent deal with Cuba’s president Raul Castro to normalise relations will help the US to be seen in a more friendly light by neighbouring countries.
But feelings are mixed in Latin America towards the US, which is seen as both a source of economic opportunity, political manipulation and a force in people’s lives that is not just beyond their control, but their imagination.But feelings are mixed in Latin America towards the US, which is seen as both a source of economic opportunity, political manipulation and a force in people’s lives that is not just beyond their control, but their imagination.
At El Chorrillo, while most of the bystanders were activists from Venezuela, Panama and neighbouring nations, local residents also gathered at their windows to watch the spectacle.At El Chorrillo, while most of the bystanders were activists from Venezuela, Panama and neighbouring nations, local residents also gathered at their windows to watch the spectacle.
Mother of two Berta Skiner was old enough to remember the invasion. “It was terrible,” she recalls. “People were killed but we didn’t know why we were being attacked.”Mother of two Berta Skiner was old enough to remember the invasion. “It was terrible,” she recalls. “People were killed but we didn’t know why we were being attacked.”